Refrigerating apparatus



March 29, 1960 E. L. HORLACHER 2,930,556

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.Elmer L. Hor/acher His Affomey March 29, 1960 E. HORLACHER REFRIGERATINGAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1957 mvsmon. Elmer L.Hor/acher BY 5C H/sAt/o nay United States Patent 2,930,556 REFRIGERATINGAPPARATUS Elmer L. Horlacher, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General MotorsCorporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationOctober 17, 1957, Serial No. 690,644 3 Claims. (Cl. 248) This inventionrelates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to an arrangementfor supporting a casing containing an operable unit of such apparatusupon a support carried by a part of a refrigerator cabinet.

An object of my invention is to provide a simplified and low-costresilient mounting for a motor-compressor unit of a refrigerating systemupon a support therefor in a refrigerator cabinet which performs threedistinct essen tial functions in that it will cushion ordinaryvibrations of the unit, permit a limited rotary movement of the unitrelative to its support and arrest abnormal movements of the unit.

Another object of my invention is to'provide in a mounting arrangementfor a sealed casing containing an electric motor and a compressor driventhereby, which permits a limited rotary movement of the casingwithrespect to its support, a means that will check or arrest any abnormalrotation of the casing and convert the thereof into a swinging movementof the casing in pendulum fashion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a casing supporting meanswhich eliminates the necessity of special or additional hold-down boltsor clamps for the casing during shipment of a refrigerator cabinet inwhich the casing is mounted and affords a rotary movement of the casingwhen the refrigerator is installed particularly during starting and/orstopping of a motor-compressor contained in the casing.

A still further object of my invention is to utilize the resiliency of arubber-like spool located between legs of two substantially equallyspaced apart U-shaped brackets secured to a casing containing anoperable element for absorbingvibrations thereof, to isolate soundsgenerated thereby against transmission through the casing support to arefrigerator cabinet and to employ a part of the support together with aportion of one leg of the U-shaped brackets for positively checking orarresting abnormal rotary motion of the casing relative to the support.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a more specific object of myinvention to hold a rubber-like spool in a resilient motor-compressorcasing mounting against shifting out of place between a part of thecasing support and a leg of a U-shaped mounting bracket by rubber-liketrunnions fitted therein or interlocked therewith at a time when themounting is arresting abnormal rotary movement of the casing relative toits support.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational viewof a preferred embodimentof the invention showing a casing containing a motor-compressormounted-ona supportfin a machine compartment ofa refrigerator cabinet;iFigureZ is a broken side elevational view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1 showing opposed mounting means of the casing;

refrigerating system Figure 3 is a broken or fragmentary top view of themotor-compressor casing disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 showing opposedmounting means at two substantially equally spaced apart points aroundthe supported casing;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the twosimilar casing mounting means and is taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;and

Figure 5 is an exploded view of elements of the resilient means employedin the casing mount.

Referring to the drawings I show in Figure 1 thereof by of a portion ofclosed refrigerating tor 10.

a refrigerant translating unit of a system associated with therefrigera- The refrigerant translating unit of also includes arefrigerant condenser or condensing coil 16 carried by suitable uprights17 mounted on the frame-like support member 12 by bolts or is connectedby suitable pipes or conduits with the unit, such, for example, with thecasing 14 and condenser 16. The construction of a motor-compressorcontaining sealed casing and the operation of a refrigerating systemassociated with a refrigerator cabinet as described is now conventionaland well known.

contact therewith. These fins 21, in addition to aiding in dissipatingheat generated in casing 14 therefrom, serve as means for securingmounting brackets 22 to casing member 14 for supporting same upon theframe support or support member 12. As best indicated in Figures 2, 3and 4 of the drawings, a pair of U-shaped metal brackets22 are spotwelded to the metallic fins 21 on opposite 14 so as to be spaced apartan equal distance around the casing. The horizontal legs of the U-shaped brackets 22 are disposed one above another to provide an upperhorizontal leg 23 and a lower horizonround hole 27 provided therein (seeFigure 4).

Each of the mounting means for easing member 14 comprises an shankportion 33 of a stud 31 projects through the opening 27 in the lower leg24 of brackets 22 so as to locate the platform portion 34 thereofintermediate legs 23 and 24 of the U-shaped brackets. Rubber-likebushing or spool 36 is disposed be- 37 in stud 31 and"into aperture oropening 26 in the upper leg 23ofthe'U-shaped-brackets 22. A coil springthe 41 in bore 39 compressedbetween the opposed buttons or trunnions 3i;biases them in a direction outwardly of the bore in spools 36 into theaperture 26 and recess 37. A spool 36, buttons or trunnions 38 and aspring 41 is clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of the'drawings and anysuitable method of'inserting this subassembly between leg 23 of abracket 22 and the platform portion 34 of a stud- 31 may be employed. Itis to be noted that the weight of casing 14 and the operable element orelements therein normally maintain bushings or spools 36 and springs 41under compression between the upper legs 23 of U-shaped brackets 22 andthe top, surface of platform portion 34- of studs 31 with the studplatforms 34 spaced asubstantial distance above the lower leg.24. of thebrackets. The, springs 41 thus augment the spools or trunnions 36 inresiliently supporting casing 14 upon the frame support member 12. It isalso to be'noted that while metallic, brackets and a metallic stud areemployed to secure the casing14 upon support 12 there is however nodirect metal-to-metal contact therebetween since the platform 34 and theshank portion 33 of studs 31 are normally spaced from the lower leg 24of brackets 22. The arrangement therefore permits the spools or bushings36 to provide a sound deadening mounting which prevents transmission ofnoise created in casing 14,, by operation of the motor and compressortherein, to the frame or support for the casing and to cabinet 10.

I have, under actual tests, found that the presently disclosedarrangement in addition to being of low manufacturing costs also servesseveral purposes in the mounting of a sealed casing, having a motor anda compressor disposed one above the other therein, upon a support. Thespools 36 together with springs 41 cushion up and down movement of thesealed casing .14 without any metal parts of the mounting striking orcontacting one another. Due to the length of spools 36 being disposedsubstantially at right angles to a portion of an arc about thecircumference of cylindrical casing 14 the compressive resiliency ofthese spools is suflicient, to resist and yieldably snub any normalrotary movement of the casing relative to support 12. The arrangement issuch that the mounting or carrying means for casing 14 withstands jarsor iolts thereof relative to its support 12 during shipment of arefrigerator cabinet with the casing therein. Any abnormal rotary forceimparted to casing 14 by the operable elements therein, by shifting ofthe. refrigerator cabinet upon -a floor and/ or by shifting of therefrigerator cabinet during shipment thereof rotates the,

casing and causes the wall of opening 27 in lower legs 2 of the U'shapedbrackets .22 to engage or abut against the shank portion 33 of studs 31.In this manner the abnormal rotary force imparted by casing 14 to its resilient mountings is arrested and the need for tightly or rigidlyclamping the mountings to the support 12 by shipping bolts iseliminated. After a refrigerator cabinet having a motor-compressorsealed within a casing supported therein has been installed in a homethe most objectionable movement of the casing relative to its supporthas been found to be due to starting and/ or stopping of the motor andcompressor. That is at the moment the motor and compressor startsoperating or their operation is stopped the motor rotor, motor shaft andcompressor eccentric causes an unbalanced condition within the casing 14and this tends to rotate the casing. The rotation of casing 14 causesthe resilient bushings or spools 35 to tilt, in parallelism, at an anglerelative to the vertical thus they are further compressed, betweenplatform portion 3470f studs 31 and legs 23 of brackets 22, and snubrotary movement of the casing relative to, its support and theyyieidingly limit such casing rotation to a normal predetermineddistance. When the rotary force imparted by the casing to its supportdiminishes the resiliency of the, spools 3,6 permit them to resume theirnormal vertical position and thus return casing 14 to its normalresiliently supported location. The rediscarded and wasted lmovement ofcasing 'viously too much rotary movement of casing 14 relative '4siliency of the buttons or trunnions 33 and springs 41 while undercompression when supporting casing 14 increase the supporting capacityof the spools 36 and also aid in returning the spools to their normalvertical position after they have been tilted by rotary movement of thecasing. By positivelystopping or arresting any abnormal rotary movementof casing 14, by wall of opening 27 in lower leg 24 of the U-shapedbrackets 22 engaging the shank portion 33 of studs 31, in the mannerpreviously described any abnormal rotary force applied to the. support32 is converted into a force which, by virtue of the resiliency ofspools 36, tends to create a pendulum-like 14 upon its carrying support.Ob-

to its support might fracture a refrigerant conduit or pipe leading tothe casing or loosen the connection thereof with the casing. Thus byarresting and converting any abnormal force imparted to themotor-compressor containing casing 14 into a pendulum-like swingingmovement of the casing atftwo substantially equally spaced apart pointstherearound too great a twisting of the conduits' and/or theirconnections to the casing is eliminated and the danger of fracturing theconduits is diminished.

It should, from the foregoing, be apparent that I have provided animproved resilient carrying arrangement with a minimum number ofsubstantially inexpensive parts having a two-point mounting of amotor-compressor casing on asupport in a refrigerator cabinet whereinthe casing is at all times freeto move in restricted fashion in severaldifferent directions and its movement is efiectively cushioned ornormally snubbed. My improved arrange-. ment absorbs high frequencyvibrations and deadens or prevents any noises created in the supportedcasing from being amplified by its support on the refrigerator cabinetand transmitted to a room in which the cabinet is located. Also byconverting abnormal rotary movement imparted to the supported easinginto a pendulum swinging movement thereof jars or SSLOCKS applied to thecasing are arrested and absorbed thus eliminating the use of hold-downshipping clamps or bolts and the like which are ordinarily afterinstallation of a refrigerator By providing means for holding therubberbeing shifted out of place cabinet. like supporting spools againstbetween the platform portion of the mounting studs and the one leg ofthe U;shaped mounting brackets during arresting of abnormal movement ofthe resiliently supported casing the present mounting is renderedcertain in function and will Withstand rigid tumble tests.

While the form of understood that other forms might be adopted as'maycome within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is' as follows: 7

1. A mounting for a casing "containing an operable element adapted to bestarted and stopped including a pair of resilient devices attaching thecasing at two equal spaced apart points therearound to a supportexteriorly thereof, each of said devices comprising a U-shaped brackethaving the base of the U thereof secured to an outer exposed part ofsaid casing with the legs 'of said bracket extending laterally therefromone above another, the upper leg of said U-shaped bracket having anopening therein and the lower leg thereof having an opening thereinaligned with the opening in said upper leg, a stud secured to saidsupport and projecting through the opening in said lower leg of saidbracket in spaced relation to thev wall.of the opening therein, aplatform integrally formed on the top of said stud and provided with arecess therein, said platform being spaced above the lower leg of saidU-shaped bracket to position same interme ia e a d. egs f he ra ket, r brke spool having abore therethroug h interposed between the platform onsaid stud and the upper leg of said bracket for supporting said casingon said support, the starting and/or stopping of said element impartinga rotary movement embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is. to be to said casing relative ,tosaid -support,.said lowerleg of said bracket being freely movable-withrespect to said stud whereby said spool yieldingly snubs the rotarymovement of said casing and limits same to a predetermined distance,said wall of the opening in said bracket lower leg being engageable withsaid stud below the bottom of said spool to arrest rotation of saidcasing beyond said predetermined distance upon abnormal rotation thereofand for rendering the entire length of said spool effective to convertthe abnormal rotary force of said casing into a swinging movementthereof in pendulum fashion, and trunnions disposed within the bore ofsaid spool projecting into the opening in said upper bracket leg andsaid recess in said stud platform respectively preventing shifting ofthe spool out of place therebetween while said devices convert theabnormal rotation of said easing into the pendulum swinging movementthereof.

2. A mounting as defined by claim 1 wherein a coil spring is compressedbetween the trunnions within the bore of the spool of each resilientdevice for augmenting action of the spool in snubbing rotary movement ofthe casing.

3. A mounting for a casing containing an operable element adapted to bestarted and stopped including a pair of resilient devices attaching thecasing at two equal spaced apart points therearound to a supportexteriorly thereof, each of said devices comprising a U-shapcd brackethaving the base of the U thereof secured to an outer exposed part ofsaid casing with the legs of said bracket extending laterally therefromone above another, the upper leg of said U-shaped bracket having anopening therein and the lower leg thereof having an opening thereinaligned with the opening in said upper leg, a stud secured to saidsupport and projecting through the opening in said lower leg of saidbracket in spaced relation to the wall of the opening therein, aplatform integrally formed on the top of said stud and provided with arecess therein, said platform being spaced above the lower leg of saidU-shaped bracket to position same intermediate said legs of the bracket,a rubber-like spool interposed between the platform on said stud and theupper leg of said bracket for supporting said casing on 3 ,saidsupport,the starting and/or stopping of said element imparting a rotary movementto said casing relative to said support, said lower leg of said bracketbeing freely movable with respect to said stud whereby said spoolyieldingly snubs the rotary movement of said casing and limits same to apredetermined distance, said wall of the opening in said bracket lowerleg being engageable with said stud below the bottom of said spool toarrest rotation of said casing beyond said predetermined distance uponabnormal rotation thereof and for rendering the entire length of saidspool effective to convert the abnormal rotary force of said easing intoa swinging movement thereof in pendulum fashion, a first rubber-liketrunnion at the top of said spool projecting into the opening in saidupper bracket leg, 21 second rubber-like trunnion at the bottom of saidspool projecting into the recess in said stud platform, and saidrubber-like trunnions forming the sole tying connection of said spool tosaid bracket upper leg and said stud platform whereby said trunnionsprevent shifting of the spool out of place therebetween while saiddevices convert the abnormal rotation of said casing into said pendulumswinging movement thereof.

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